On the stroke of half-time, Given pulled off another superb save - tipping the excellent Abou Diaby's 25-yard curler over the bar.

Keeper Shay Given was left with no chance for Adebayor's first goal

Five minutes into the second half, the home side moved ahead with a clinical finish from their leading scorer Adebayor.

Eduardo found space on the edge of the area and clipped his effort past Given on to the post. The rebound eventually found the Togolese who jinked past Claudio Cacapa and rifled his effort into the corner.

The goal lifted the Gunners with Fabregas and Diaby pulling the strings from midfield and Eduardo linking up neatly up front.

Adebayor put the tie beyond the visitors when his foraging run gave him the time and space to fire past Given with Taylor helpless to stop the shot on the line.

Butt inadvertently headed Fabregas' free-kick past Given in the closing stages to register a scoreline that flattered the Gunners.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger: "It was a game where the first goal had a big impact on the result. We scored when we were in control and that was hard for them to absorb mentally.

"We played against a good team who started well, but we eventually controlled the game in the second half.

"The second killed them. But overall, it was a difficult game."

Newcastle boss Kevin Keegan:"It was a very good first half performance. We had the courage to play them.

"We were going along nicely and causing them problems, while they were not giving us much grief.

"We could not keep it up and they stepped up, we stepped back and in the end, the gulf was pretty big."